As the Israel-Hamas war crosses the seven-month mark, negotiations are apparently stalled to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, and Israeli forces continue to launch incursions in the southern Gazan town of Rafah ahead of a possible large-scale invasion.
Kamal Adwan Hospital suffers damage after hit 4 times: WHO
Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza was reportedly hit four times Tuesday, according to the World Health Organization.
The attacks damaged the intensive care unit, reception, administration and the roof, the organization said. Efforts are underway to evacuate 20 health staff and 13 patients who remain inside, according to WHO.
"We appeal once again for [the] protection of all patients and health workers. We urge for a ceasefire and safe, sustained humanitarian access," WHO said in a statement.
Over the past few weeks, intense hostilities have reportedly occurred in the vicinity of the hospital and resulted in an increased influx of injured patients to the already overstretched facility.
Kamal Adwan is the largest partially functional hospital in northern Gaza, and the only one providing hemodialysis services.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
May 21, 2024, 5:44 PM EDT
Pentagon gives update on Gaza food aid
A spokesman for the Pentagon provided an update on aid that's been delivered to Gaza noting that 569 metric tons of food have been delivered to the assembly area at the end of the JLOTS Trident Pier.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said new routes are being worked out following reports that some aid trucks had been intercepted and food aid was taken off the vehicles so it was not making it to World Food Program warehouses.
"There have been discussions between the U.S., Israel [and the] United Nations as well as joint efforts to identify alternative routes for the safe movement of staff and cargo,” he told reporters. “And so movements from the temporary facility from the assembly area they have resumed today.”
A truck carries humanitarian aid across Trident Pier, a temporary pier to deliver aid, off the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, near the Gaza coast, May 19, 2024.
U.S. Army Central via Reuters
Ryder later clarified that aid had not been moving out of the assembly area for two days.
Ryder emphasized that JLOTS is just one way of getting aid into Gaza and that more aid will flow to land as it comes in from Cyprus.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
May 21, 2024, 12:11 PM EDT
Israel returns seized Associated Press equipment after taking down Gaza live shot
After widespread condemnation, Israel has reversed course and returned equipment seized from The Associated Press. The equipment was seized and they took down their AP's live shot of northern Gaza from Israel Tuesday, citing a controversial new media law.
Israel had accused the AP of violating the new law by allowing Al Jazeera to access their live feed, according to the AP. Al Jazeera is one of the AP’s thousands of international clients.
"The Communications Ministry acted today to confiscate equipment that, despite repeated warnings, transmitted to Al-Gazira about the positions of our forces in the northern Gaza Strip while putting them at risk in accordance with security opinions and the government's decision," Israeli Minister of Communication Shlomo Karai said in a statement. "Since the Ministry of Defense wishes to examine the matter of the broadcasts from these locations in Sderot regarding the risk to our forces, I have now ordered to cancel the operation and return the equipment to the AP agency, until a different decision is made by the Ministry of Defense."
Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, May 21, 2024.
Israel Defense Forces/AFP via Getty Image
"The Associated Press decries in the strongest terms the actions of the Israeli government to shut down our longstanding live feed showing a view into Gaza and seize AP equipment," said Lauren Easton, vice president of corporate communications at the AP earlier Tuesday. "The shutdown was not based on the content of the feed but rather an abusive use by the Israeli government of the country’s new foreign broadcaster law. We urge the Israeli authorities to return our equipment and enable us to reinstate our live feed immediately so we can continue to provide this important visual journalism to thousands of media outlets around the world."
The AP refused a verbal order issued earlier to take down the transmission, and said it complies with Israeli military censorship rules.
In 2021, Israel destroyed the AP office inside Gaza, saying Hamas operated from the building, which the AP has denied. The office offered a live position from inside Gaza throughout many of the conflicts there.
-ABC News' Guy Davies
May 21, 2024, 12:31 PM EDT
UNRWA suspends food distribution in Rafah
Food distributions in Rafah have been suspended due to lack of supplies and insecurity, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Only seven of the UNRWA's 24 health centers are operational, with the centers not receiving any medical supplies in the last 10 days due to Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossing closures and disruptions.
Due to Israel's ongoing military operation in eastern Rafah, the UNRWA distribution center and World Food Programme warehouse are inaccessible, according to the UNRWA.
Palestinians evacuate Kamal Adwan hospital following an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, May 21, 2024.
Osama Abu Rabee/Reuters
"The current Israeli military operation in Rafah is directly impacting the ability of aid agencies to bring critical humanitarian supplies into Gaza. During this reporting period, the border crossing was only open for two days and only 48 trucks entered the Gaza Strip via Kerem Shalom and Rafah land crossings," according to the UNRWA.
